Cambridge Easter egg
The Cambridge Chimes: where Big Ben's tune began
Listen on the quarter hour: you've heard this tune before.
The story
The four-note chimes you know from Big Ben started here. They were written for Great St Mary's, the University Church, in 1793.
The tune is usually credited to Joseph Jowett, helped by his young student William Crotch. It borrows a phrase from Handel's Messiah.
That's why the tune is also called the Cambridge Quarters. Westminster copied it for its new clock tower in 1859. Now it's heard around the world.
Great St Mary's sits on the edge of the market square. Stand there on the quarter hour and listen.
Look out for
Stand by Great St Mary's on Market Hill at quarter past the hour and listen.
Questions
Were the Big Ben chimes written in Cambridge?
When can I hear the Cambridge Chimes?
Where to find it
Great St Mary's Church, Senate House Hill, Cambridge
Free to see from the street, at any time.
Good to know
Come just before the hour to hear the full tune, then the bell striking the hour. The church tower is often open to climb, so check the church's website before you go.
Nearby with your City Pass
- King's College Chapel, entry to the Chapel and college grounds
More Easter eggs nearby
- A car on the Senate House roof, a minute's walk
- The Eagle's RAF ceiling, about 2 minutes' walk
- Henry VIII's chair leg, about 2 minutes' walk
Let the app find them for you
The City Pass app tells you when you walk past an Easter egg. £50 for the day, with entry to 9 places included.